"You hold the 7 keys to my soul"

Chapter 1

"You've gotta get some help," His mom told him, lying in the hospital bed, after having nearly lost him. "I know it's been hard since your father…" She started but she couldn't finish that sentence. "… and I know he wouldn't want you to be like this. To live like this…" A few tears started falling from her eyes.

"Like I couldn't care less what he would want be to be like. It's not like he cared anyway…" He told her, and when she was about to say something he cut her off. "And don't say that it isn't true. If it wasn't, then why would he… why did he…" He couldn't finish that sentence either like his mother couldn't earlier. "He didn't even explain why," He was having difficulty saying this. "I mean, we had a great morning, and it had been the greatest day of my life actually. I was about to tell him these big news when I…" He again stopped. "And he had to do it on my birthday, didn't he? He couldn't at least wait one day…" That's when he couldn't hold it in anymore. He let a tear fall down his cheek. Sure, it was only a tear but he hadn't gotten emotional about it at all. Only angry. "So don't you dare tell me what he would want me to be like, or not to be like for that matter"

"What big news?" She asked him, but immediately regretting it.

He just looked at her. He was too tired to get angry. It was the only thing he had been doing for months now. Instead of shouting at her, like she thought he would be doing, he instead, in a soft, tired voice told her, "It doesn't matter anymore"

She smiled at him, more tears falling from her eyes. The boy she was looking at now was the boy she had known a year ago. "But can you do it for me?" She asked him with pleading eyes. "Get some help I mean" He was about to protest, but now it was her turn to cut him off. "I was so scared about losing you… and I want to do all I can to not go through that again. I want us to be like we were…" She held her out for him to take it. "Will you help me?"

He looked down at her hand and then again in her eyes. To be frank, the last year had been hell, and he was sick of it. Truthfully, he wanted to change, but he hadn't known any reason to do it… until now. He took her hand in his and smiled at her. "Yeah… thank you"

The tears were now rolling down her face. That wasn't really anything new since she cried herself to sleep every night, but those tears weren't the same tears, the tears of sadness or fright ness. Those were tears of joy. "No… thank you," She told him. And with that she noticed him letting out a small yawn. It had been a long day for both of them so she took that as a queue and went home, leaving him in that small hospital room to rest.

His mom had come in around noon the next day, but as he hadn't gotten much sleep lately, and thinking he needed the rest, she left the clean clothes she brought with her and started walking out of the room.

As she was just reaching the door he began to stir. She looked back and saw that he was now awake. "Sorry… didn't mean to wake you" She said.

"You didn't," He assured her. "I feel like I've been sleeping all day. What's the time?" He asked her.

"It just passed noon" She answered, "The doctor said you could go home today. Well, he's gonna check in with you before but he said if everything's great you can go"

"Okay… Can't wait to get home. I'm already sick of this place"

"You're not going home," His mother told him. As he was about to say something she continued: "I called your grandmother this morning and I… we agreed that you needed to get out of town for a while… so you'll be living with your grandmother for a while"

He was literally speechless. He didn't know what to say, what she was saying. "What is she saying? Has she given up on me? Is she kicking me out?" Those thoughts were running through his mind and he didn't know what to think. Or what to say for that matter.

His mother took the opportunity that he wasn't speaking to continue. "She… your grandmother… she uh… She knows this woman… this therapist. She's supposed to be great. Anyway... You've got an appointment with her tomorrow afternoon and your bus leaves at 6… today" She said as a few tears were falling freely from her eyes. She knew she was doing the right thing but why did she feel like she was just making things worse?

After a few moments of silence he was the one to break it. "So, you're shipping me off to grandmas" He stated. His words weren't harsh, rather emotionless, but his eyes were full of sadness and, truthfully, she'd rather have him scream at her than seeing him so vulnerable. When she was about to say something he continued: "No, I understand. Why wouldn't you get rid off me? Dad did" He paused for a moment, "But if you wouldn't mind leaving, I'm kind of tired so I'm gonna rest until the doctor gives me the permission to go." She was about to say something but he cut her off, this time his words were harsh, "I said leave, now"

After the doctor had come in and given him the permission to leave he had left the building, quietly, not wanting his mother, who was sat in the waiting room, to spot him. He had gone home first, taking the opportunity when his mother wouldn't be home, packed some clothes and things in his bag, everything he thought he'd need. While he was rummaging through the house, he spotted a bus ticket on the kitchen counter. He picked it up and held it in his hands. He didn't want to go there. He didn't even know his grandmother. But there was something about it. He felt like he was supposed to go there, for some reason beyond him, "Well, I'll bring the ticket along, just in case I can't find anywhere better to go to" He thought to himself.

After he had packed his stuff, he took the bag and walked out of the house. Deciding he was a little hungry he walked to the diner that was there near by, ordered himself something to eat, then walking to the nearest phone booth he found, making some calls. After having made a few calls, asking to stay the night, and having been refused by them all, he picked up the ticket. Deciding it was his only place to go he left the booth and started walking to the bus station. He was going to the place where his dad had grown up, for the first time in over a year, and for the first time without having his father there with him.